The Emperor of Portugalia eBook

She had already turned to go, then suddenly faced
about. “Here, Jan,” she said, holding
out the things. “You may have the stick
and cap, for I want them to be in good, honest hands.
I daren’t take them home again lest I be forced
to turn them over to Lars; so you keep them as a memento
of the old master, who always thought well of you.”

Then she walked away, erect and proud, and there Jan
stood holding the cap and stick. He hardly knew
how it had come about. He had never expected
to be so honoured. Were these heirlooms now to
be his? Then in a moment, he found an explanation:
Glory Goldie was back of it all. The old mistress
knew that he was soon to be elevated to a station
so exalted that nothing would be too good for him.
Indeed, had the stick been of silver and the cap of
gold they would have been even more suitable for the
father of Glory Goldie.

CLOTHED IN SATIN

No letter had come from Glory Goldie to either her
father or mother. But it mattered very little
now that Jan knew she was silent simply because she
wished her parents to be all the more surprised and
happy when the time came for her to proclaim the good
tidings.

But, in any case, it was a good thing for him that
he had peeped into her cards. Otherwise he might
easily have been made a fool of by persons who thought
they knew more about Glory’s doings than he
did. For instance, there was Katrina’s experience
at church the first Sunday in Advent. Katrina
had been to service, and upon her return Jan had noticed
that she was both alarmed and depressed.

She had seen a couple of youths who were just back
from Stockholm standing on the church knoll talking
with a group of young boys and girls. Thinking
they might be able to give her some news of Glory
Goldie, she had gone up to them to make inquiries.

The youths were evidently telling of some of their
escapades, for all the men, at least, laughed uproariously.
Katrina thought their behaviour very unseemly, considering
they were on church ground. The men must have
realized this themselves, for when she came up they
nudged one another and hushed. She had caught
only a few words, spoken by a youth whose back was
turned to her, and who had not seen her.

“And to think that she was clothed in satin!”
he said.

Instantly a young girl gave him a push that silenced
him, then, glancing round, he saw Katrina just behind
him and his face went red as blood; but immediately
after he tossed his head, and said in a loud voice:

“What’s the matter with you? Why
can’t I be allowed to say that the queen was
arrayed in satin?”

When he said that the young people laughed louder
than ever. Then Katrina went her way, unable
to bring herself to question them. And when she
came home she was so unhappy that Jan was almost tempted
to come out with the truth about Glory Goldie; but
on second thought, he asked her to tell him again
what had been said about the queen.